Avril Egan, with an address at 14 Library Place, Killorglin appeared before Judge Carroll Moran at Tralee Circuit Criminal Court on Tuesday where she pleaded guilty to three counts of assault, violent disorder and producing a knife at the Starlite Takeaway on Main Street Killorglin on October 2 2010.

Defence Barrister Brian McInerny said the offences occurred in a period in Miss Egan's life after she became infatuated with a man who was "way older and more streetsmart" than her.

Since the assaults took place Mr McInerny said his client had met with clinical psychologists and had undertaken to end her relationship with the man who was not named in court.

The court heard that she has not come to garda attention since the incident, had co-operated fully with the probation services, had received a number of positive probation reports and had been of good behaviour.

Judge Carroll Moran sentenced Avril Egan to three years in prison but suspended the sentence for three years on condition that she commits no further crimes, continues to co-operate with the probation service and undertook to have no further relations of any kind "platonic or otherwise" with her former partner.